Australia has learned to respect England in the sporting arena. No, seriously. Well maybe not at cricket, but rugby, definitely.

Following the third humiliation in a row at Twickenham, the weary World Cup holders can only beg for mercy from the might of England, when yet again they showed that the Wallabies are on a serious and disturbing decline.

In the southern hemisphere, England's defeat of New Zealand last weekend did not register high on the Richter scale. That had more to do with the calibre of the opposition than the quality of England's play because anyone in Australia who read down the All Black team list kept asking themselves: "Who are these guys? Are they Kiwi backpackers in London on working visas?"

In Australia, New Zealand is almost our seventh state, and their rugby players are as familiar as Gregan and Larkham. But some of these All Blacks were even unknown to the thousands of Kiwis who have invaded every house, bedsitter and boarding house along Bondi Beach.

Steve Devine? He was just a Sydney first-grader before heading across the Tasman and playing for what was really a New Zealand B team.

However, the defeat of the Wallabies meant so much, and will unnerve many in Australia and New Zealand who think no northern hemisphere nation will pose a threat during the World Cup.

First, Australia were close to full strength. Second, if the referee, Paul Honiss, had not given Australia an unbelievable leg-up in allowing the Wallaby second rower Daniel Vickerman to stay on the field when he virtually stopped an England try in the first half, the size of the defeat would probably not have been in single figures.

That was how dominant England were, and where yet again they showed they had easily the best goalkicker in the world, a pivot as good as any running around, and a back-row which any southern hemisphere nation would dream of having. The combination of Richard Hill, Neil Back and Lewis Moody, with Lawrence Dallaglio the shock weapon from the bench, is something to drool over.

Watching Jonny Wilkinson kicking goals from anywhere and everywhere is observing a sporting phenomena. He is the Tiger Woods of rugby, defying logic by getting so much distance and accuracy with the shortest of run-ups. As with Woods, it is all timing and rhythm, and for any opposition watching him kick goal after goal is demoralising.

And what of the World Cup? England will definitely shorten in the Australian bookie tents, but it is not yet time for them to believe they can avenge the disappointment of the Lions tour with a triumph at Sydney's Olympic Stadium next November.

The halves are fine, the back-row is spectacular, but there isn't much going on with England's centres. Every World Cup-winning team has boasted special names at No12 and 13. But England look flimsy there, in particular Mike Tindall, who is little more than a journeyman.

And don't try spinning out this propaganda that Mike Catt will be the saviour of the England attack. Down south, Catt is simply not rated and, some years on, it still bewilders us that one British rugby magazine once placed him in the 100 greatest players of all time. What drugs were the editors on?

Also of concern is England's inability to make an impact in Australia, and the ageing of this side. Dad's Army teams have not won before and the England pack boasts too many grey hairs, and will have even more 12 months down the track.

As for Australia defending their title, forget it! They are going down the same path as they did in 1995 - too set in their ways, too old, too many injuries and past their best. Also, they have lost the ability to think on their feet - a legacy of the Rod Macqueen, robotic, one-dimensional era which brought success, but will also see the Wallabies caught out badly.

The real threats? Back a New Zealand versus France World Cup final, and you won't be far off the money.